I'll Be Right Here
by stubadingdong
Summary: T'Pol watches another movie with Trip


TITLE: I'll Be Right Here  
  
AUTHOR: stub&Joe  
  
DATE: 01-03-03  
  
RATING: PG  
  
SUMMARY: T'Pol watches another movie with Trip  
  
DISCLAIMER: Paramount owns them. We own our imaginations.  
  
NOTES: stub&Joe have decided that it might be fun to make this Movie Night thing into a series. Keep your eyes peeled, kids.  
  
Trip Tucker had managed to make it through the film to the last scene before he lost it. For as many times as he's seen E.T., he'd never been able to not cry at the end. Hell, it was only in recent years he'd made it through E.T.'s "death" without bursting into tears. It never ceased to amaze him how something from childhood could carry such weight as an adult as well. Trip had always gotten choked up at the end of this movie. Every damn time. Stupid movie. With a small lump in his throat, he chuckled to himself.  
  
With a quick peek to his left Trip saw that the Vulcan sitting next to him was absorbed. Her head was cocked slightly, her brow furrowed. He allowed a tiny smile to grace his lips before turning his attention back to Elliott saying goodbye to the little alien. Trip tried to swallow the lump in his throat but soon gave up. He felt the tears already sliding down his cheeks. I hate this movie he thought.  
  
To his surprise, he felt a small, warm hand grasp his. Trip stopped breathing for just a second as he felt the hand give his a gentle squeeze and let go. He didn't dare look at T'Pol. Instead he wiped at the tears on his face before the lights came up. He knew his reputation for crying at movies, but Trip didn't want to display it for everyone. He still had some pride left.  
  
As the end credits rolled and the lights gradually brightened, Trip turned and looked at T'Pol expectantly. He noticed no emotional effect on her. Though he wasn't really expecting it, for some reason he still felt disappointed.  
  
He cleared his throat. "Your third movie," Trip said. "What'd you think?"  
  
T'Pol remained seated and looking straight ahead. "I'm not certain what to think," she admitted. Her voice sounded just a little raspy.  
  
Trip smiled as he watched everyone file out of the room. "No questions this time?" He hoped it didn't sound condescending.  
  
She turned her head and looked at him. "The emotional attachment of the characters was illogical."  
  
He laughed at this. Leave it to a Vulcan. "It's not so illogical. E.T. gets left behind. Abandoned. But he finds a 'family' on this strange world. You know, people take care of him." Trip paused. At her silence, he continued, "When you were a kid, didn't your parents ever leave you with friends or relatives while they went on vacation? Didn't you ever feel like they were never comin' back?"  
  
T'Pol looked at him blankly. "Leave me with friends or relatives?"  
  
"Right," Trip said nodding. "Forgot who I was talkin' to for a minute. Well then, what about the Vulcan High Command?"  
  
Her eyes narrowed and her expression changed slightly. "What about it?" she asked coolly.  
  
"Don't you ever...feel abandoned by them? Servin' onboard Enterprise?"  
  
After a few moments, T'Pol responded quietly, "It was my choice to stay aboard, Commander. I view it more as an escape."  
  
At the use of his title, Trip backed off. He sat stunned for a minute. Deciding to bring the conversation back on track, Trip tried a different tactic. He asked, "Have you ever had to say goodbye to someone you knew you'd never see again?"  
  
"No," she said quickly. T'Pol turned her head and looked straight ahead again. There were no more crewmembers to watch.  
  
Trip cocked his head, curious. He touched her shoulder and she turned to face him. "I don't believe you, T'Pol," he said softly. "Why'd you grab my hand at the end?"  
  
She didn't answer right away. Her eyes, however, never left his. After a few moments she replied, "To make sure..."  
  
Trip raised his eyebrows at her, silently encouraging her to finish her sentence. When she didn't, he finished it for her. "To make sure I'm still here?"  
  
T'Pol cast her gaze down and nodded slightly. Trip smiled.  
  
"I'm not goin' anywhere."  
  
THE END 


End file.
